Door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper

ABSTRACT

A door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse vehicle, generally including a pair of arm assemblies pivotally mounted on the rear ends of the hopper side walls, a door panel secured to the arm assemblies, a pair of springs interconnecting the arm assemblies and the hopper side walls and means mounted on the hopper engageable by the arm assemblies for restricting the pivotal movement of the arm assemblies within an arc intersected by a plane passing through the connections of the spring members with the hopper side walls and the pivot axis of the arm assemblies whereby upon manipulation of the door panel in moving the arm assemblies above and below the arc intersecting plane, the springs will operate to bias the door panel in an open position disposed above the hopper opening and to a closed position disposed across the hopper opening, respectively.

United States Patent McKenzie et al.

[ June 11, 1974 DOOR ASSEMBLY FOR A REFUSE RECEIVING HOPPER [76] Inventors: Roland W. McKenzie, R.F.D. Rt. 3. Box 67X; Richard Stansberry, ll 14 Farley St., both of Culpepper, Va. 22701 [22] Filed: June 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 370,607

[52] US. Cl. 296/56, 160/207 [51] Int. Cl 862d 33/04 [58] Field of Search 296/50, 56, 104, 57 A; 160/206, 207

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,151,335 3/1939 Rush 296/57 A 2,573,181 10/1951 Burr 160/207 2,893,482 7/1959 Burgin 160/207 3,749,440 7/1973 Lathers 296/106 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-James M. Slattery [57 ABSTRACT A door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse vehicle, generally including a pair of arm assemblies pivotally mounted on the rear ends of the hopper side walls, a door panel secured to the arm assemblies, a pair of springs interconnecting the arm assemblies and the hopper side walls and means mounted on the hopper engageable by the arm assemblies for restricting the pivotal movement of the arm assemblies within an arc intersected by a plane passing through the connections of the spring members with the hopper side walls and the pivot axis of the arm assemblies whereby upon manipulation of the door panel in moving the arm assemblies above and below the arc intersecting plane, the springs will operate to bias the door panel in an open position disposed above the hopper opening and to a closed position disposed across the hopper opening, respectively.

12 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DOOR ASSEMBLY FOR A REFUSE RECEIVING HOPPER This invention relates to a refuse collecting vehicle and more particularly to a door assembly for the refuse receiving hopper of a refuse collecting vehicle.

In the prior art, there has been developed a type of refuse collecting vehicle which generally includes a refuse storage body mounted on a truck chassis, a refuse receiving hopper mounted on the rear end of the storage body and a mechanism disposed within the receiving hopper for transferring refuse from the hopper to the storage body and compacting refuse therein. Such mechanism usually includes a packer panel which is adapted to pivot and sweep the refuse forwardly from the hopper into the storage body.

Generally, in the operation of such type of refuse collecting vehicle, operators manually empty refuse from small containers into the hopper. As soon as such hopper is filled, and often while the vehicle is moving between refuse pickup locations, the mechanism within the hopper is operated to transfer refuse deposited in the hopper from the hopperto the storage body. Usually, while such mechanism is operating, the operators are exposed to the operation of the mechanism within the hopper which has resulted in a serious safety hazard.

Such a safety hazard has been sought to be eliminated by closing the hopper opening with a door to shield workmen from the operating mechanism. It has been found, however, that workmen have been inclined not to close such doors on each occasion when the mechanism within the hopper is being operated because of the effort required to close a heavy or bulky door which often is not operating properly.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel door assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse collection vehicle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse collection vehicle, having a packer mechanism disposed within the refuse receiving hopper.

The still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse vehicle, having a packer mechanism disposed within the refuse receiving hopper, which may be closed during the operation of the packer mechanism to shield operators from the packer mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel door assembly for a rear loader type of refuse collection vehicle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse collection vehicle which may be manually opened and closed with minimal exertion.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse collection vehicle, having a packer mechanism disposed within the hopper wherein the door assembly readily may be manipulated to an open position to permit refuse deposited in small or large containers, to be manually or mechanically discharged into the receiving hopper, and then closed" to shield the operators of the vehicle from the packer mechanism within the hopper while the packer mechanism operates to transfer refuse within the hopper to a storage body on the vehicle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse collection vehicle which is comparatively simple in construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install, and reliable and effective in performance.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains, from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention installed on a refuse collecting vehicle of the rear end loader type;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, having portions thereof broken away; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in PK]. 3.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a refuse collecting vehicle 10 of the rear end loader type, which includes a vehicle chassis 11 having a conventional cab (not shown) mounted thereon, a refuse storage body 12 mounted on the vehicle chassis, and a loading or refuse receiving hopper 13 mounted on the rear end of the storage body. The loading hopper 13 houses a packer mechanism (not shown) which is operable to transfer refuse deposited in the hopper forwardly into the storage body 12. The packer mechanism may be of any conventional type which is adapted to transfer refuse from the hopper into the storage body and further to compact the refuse in the storage body. The loading hopper 13 generally includes a pair of spaced side walls 14 and 15, a bottom wall 16, and a downwardly and rearwardly curved top wall 17 having an opening 18 provided with a door assembly 19 embodying the present invention. The side walls of the hopper receiving opening are provided with a plurality of reinforcing members including a pair of rearwardly and downwardly curved members 20 and 21 forming the upper and rear edges of the side walls and having a substantially square cross-sectional configuration. The lower ends of members 20 and 21 which define the sides of opening 18 provide a pair of door jambs 20a and 21a for door assembly 19.

The door assembly 19 consists of a pair of arm assemblies 22 and 22a which are substantially similar in construction and operation and are mounted on members 20 and 21, a door unit 23 interconnecting and rigidly secured to arm assemblies 22 and 22a, and a pair of springs 24 and 25 connected at one set of ends to arm assemblies 22 and 22a and anchored at an opposite set of ends to hopper side walls 14 and 15.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, arm assembly 22 includes a support bracket 26 mounted on door jamb 20a, which is provided with a transversely disposed sleeve 27 aligned axially with a similar sleeve of arm assembly 22a. .lournaled in sleeve 27 is a hinge pin 28 having the ends thereof projecting outwardly relative to the ends of sleeve 27. An outer, radially disposed arm member 29 is rigidly secured on the outer end of hinge pin 28. Arm member 29 is adapted to pivot in a plane disposed outwardly and substantially parallel to hopper side wall 14. Rigidly mounted in an opening provided in the outer end of arm number 29 is a sleeve 30 in which there is journaled an outwardly projecting connecting pin 31. Connecting pin 31 is prevented from being displaced axially by a pair of collar portions 32 and 33 which are disposed adjacent the ends of sleeve 30.

An inner arm member 34 is rigidly secured to the inner end of hinge pin 28, which is adapted to pivot in a plane disposed inwardly and substantially parallel to hopper side wall 14. Arm member 34 consists of a base arm portion 35 rigidly secured to the inner end of hinge pin 28 and an extension arm portion 36 rigidly connected to base arm portion 35 by means of a pair of bolt fasteners 37 and 38. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, base arm portion 35 is disposed radially relative to hinge pin 28 and further is displaced angularly relative to outer arm member 29. Extension arm portion 36 is secured at its base end to the outer end of base arm portion 35 and further is disposed substantially parallel to outer arm member 29.

The pivotal movement of inner arm member 34 is restricted by a stop member 39 mounted on the inner side of door jamb 20a, above support bracket 26, which is engageable by an edge of extension arm portion 36, as illustrated by the phantom lines in FIG. 4, and an inwardly projecting stop member 40 mounted on the inner side of outer arm member 29 which is adapted to engage door jamb 20a when arm assembly 34 is disposed in its lowermost position.

The door unit 23 consists of a base door member 41 and a folding door member 42 hingedly connected to the base door member. Base door member 41 includes a rectangularly shaped panel 43 rigidly secured along its side edges to the inner-arm members 34 and 34a, a pair of transversely disposed reinforcing members 44 and 45, and a pair of transversely spaced hinge brackets 46 and 47. Similarly, folding door member 42 includes a rectangularly shaped panel 48 having inturned flanges along the side edges thereof, a pair of transversely disposed reinforcing members 49 and 50, a pair of transversely spaced hinge brackets 51 and 52 hingedly connected to hinge brackets 46 and 47 by means of a pair of hinge pins, and a handle 53 rigidly secured to reinforcing member intermediate the ends thereof. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, when inner arm member 34 and 34a engage stop member 39 and a similar stop member disposed on member 21, folding door member 42 will be disposed in folding relation relative to base door member 41 and the door assembly will be disposed in an upper, open position, and when stop member 40 and a similar stop member mounted on arm assembly 22a engage door jambs 20a and 21a, folding door member 42 will be disposed in substantial alignment with base door member 41 and the door assembly will be disposed in a lower, closed position. When the door assembly is disposed in the upper, open position, door unit 23 will be disposed above opening 18. However, when the door assembly is disposed in its lower, closed position, the door unit will be disposed across opening 18 thus preventing access to the interior of the hopper and exposure to the packer mechanism therein.

Door members 41 and 42 are guided downwardly to their lower positions by a pair of rearwardly projecting guide plates 54 and 55 mounted on the lower ends of the door jambs. Disposed at the lower ends of guide members and secured rigidly thereto and to the sill of 56 of the hopper opening is a pair of upwardly opening, U-shaped seating brackets 57 and 58. Inward movement of folding door member 42 is prevented by a stop member 59 and a similar stop member mounted on the inner sides of guide plates 54 and 55, adjacent the lower ends thereof.

Spring numbers 24 and 25 function to bias the door assembly in the open and closed positions. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, springs 24 and 25 are connected at rearward ends thereof to connecting pins 31 and 31a and are connected at forwardly disposed ends to eye bolts 60 and 60a which in turn are secured to brackets 61 and 61a mounted on the hopper side walls.

It will be appreciated that the door assembly as described easily can be manipulated to move it into open and closed positions. With the door assembly in the open position as illustrated by the solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, springs 24 and 25 will urge the arm assemblies into engagement with stop member 39 and a similar stop member disposed on member 21 to maintain the door assembly in the upper, open position. Under such conditions, refuse may be loaded into the hopper without any interference from the door assembly.

When the hopper is filled with refuse and it is desired to operate the packer mechanism, the door assembly may be closed simply by grasping handle 53 and pulling the door assembly down to the position as indicated by the phantom lines in FIG. 2. As the door assembly is being pivoted downwardly, once the axis of connecting pins 31 passes below a dead center point lying in a plane passing through the axis of hinge pins 28 and 28a and the connections of the forwardly disposed ends of springs 24 and 25 with the hopper side walls, springs 24 and 25 will operate to urge the door assembly downwardly to the lower, closed position. As the door assembly moves downwardly it will be guided by guide plates 54 and 55. The operator need only move door member 42 against stop members 59 and 59a to guide the lower edge of door member 42 into seating brackets 57 and 58.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that the offset feature of inner arm members 34 and 34a relative to outer arm member 29 and a similar outer arm member of assembly 22a permit the base arm portion 35 and a similar portion of assembly 22a to be received partially within the hopper opening so that the base ends of extension arm member 36 and a similar member of assembly 22a will engage the stop member 39 and a similar member of assembly 22a. Such offset feature further requires the door assembly to be brought downwardly to a lower level before the springs 24 and 25 function to bias the door into its closed position. It further will be noted that the simplicity of the door assembly construction and the biasing action of springs 24 and 25 greatly facilitates the opening and closing of the door and correspondingly results in a lesser barrier in human nature in the operation of the door assembly.

With the door assembly in the closed position as described, it is not possible for any operators to either insert any arms into the hopper or to stand on the sill of the hopper opening which possibly could result in the limbs of the operators coming into contact with the packer mechanism while it is cycling. As a means for further insuring that the door assembly will be closed prior to operation of the packer mechanism, a microswitch 62 is provided in door jamb a having an actuating plunger engageable by stop member 40 when the door is disposed in the lower, closed position. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, one of the leads 63 of the microswitch is connected to ground and another lead 64 may be connected to a control system for the packer mechanism. Accordingly, unless the door assembly is disposed in the lower, closed position so that microswitch 62 is actuated, the packer mechanism will be rendered inoperative.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those persons skilled in the art. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A door assembly for a refuse receiving hopper of a refuse vehicle, having a pair of transversely spaced side walls and a rear wall provided with an opening through which refuse may be charged into said hopper, comprising a pair of arm assemblies mounted on rear ends of said hopper side walls, each of said arm assemblies including a hinge pin mounted on the rear end of one of said hopper side walls and being disposed in axial alignment with the hinge pin of the other of said arm assemblies, an outer arm member rigidly connected on an outer end of said hinge pin and projecting substantially radially relative to the axis thereof, and an inner arm member rigidly connected to an inner end of said hinge pin and projecting substantially radially therefrom, at least one spring connected at one end thereof to an outer side of one of said hopper side walls and connected at the opposite end thereof to the outer arm member of one of said arm assemblies, a door panel rigidly interconnecting the inner arm members of said arm assemblies and means mounted on said hopper engageable by said arm assemblies for restricting the pivotal movement of said inner arm members within an arc intersected by a line passing through the connection of said spring member with said hopper side wall and the axis of the hinge pin of the arm assembly to which the opposite end of said spring member is attached whereby upon manipulating said door panel in moving the outer arm members of said arm assemblies above and below said intersecting line, said spring will operate to bias said door panel in an open position disposed above said hopper opening and to a closed position disposed across said hopper opening, respectively.

2. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein said door panel is provided with a handle for manipulating said door panel between open and closed positions.

3. A door assembly according to claim 1 including a second door panel hingedly connected along a transverse edge of said first mentioned door panel whereby when said first mentioned door panel is in its upper open position said second door panel will be disposed in a substantially folded relation with said first mentioned door panel and when said first mentioned door panel is in its lower closed position, said second door panel will be disposed in substantial alignment with said first mentioned door panel, disposed across said hopper opening.

4. A door assembly according to claim 3 wherein said second door panel is provided with a handle for manipulating said door panels between said open and closed positions.

5. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner arm members of said arm assemblies are pivotable in planes disposed substantially parallel to and inwardly of said hopper side walls.

6. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the outer arm members of said arm assemblies are pivotable in planes disposed substantially parallel and outwardly relative to said hopper side walls.

7. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner member of each of said arm assemblies includes at least a base portion thereof displaced angularly relative to the outer arm member of said arm assembly.

8. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the outer arm member of each of said arm assemblies in-' cludes a base arm portion displaced angularly relative to the outer arm member of said arm assembly and an elongated extension arm portion to which said door panel is secured.

9. A door assembly according to claim 8 wherein said elongated, extension arm portion is disposed substantially parallel to the outer arm member of said arm assembly.

10. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for restricting the pivotal movement of said arm assemblies comprise stop members engageable by portions of said arm assemblies.

11. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said arm assemblies includes means for actuating a sensing means when said door panel is in the lower closed position.

12. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner arm members of said arm assemblies are pivotable in planes disposed substantially parallel and inwardly relative to said hopper side walls, the outer arm members of said arm assemblies are pivotable in planes disposed substantialy parallel and outwardly relative to said hopper side walls, the inner arm member of each of said arm assemblies includes a base arm portion displaced angularly relative to the outer arm member thereof and an elongated extension arm member thereof to which said door panel is secured and said means for restricting the pivotal movement of said arm assemblies comprise stop members engageable by portions of said arm assemblies, and including a second door panel provided with a handle, hingedly connected along a transverse edge of said first mentioned door panel whereby when said first mentioned door panel is in its upper open position, said second door panel will be disposed in substantially folded relation with said first mentioned door panel and when said first mentioned door panel is in its lower closed position, said second door panel will be disposed in substantial alignment with said first mentioned door panel, disposed across said hopper opening. 

1. A door assembly for a refuse rEceiving hopper of a refuse vehicle, having a pair of transversely spaced side walls and a rear wall provided with an opening through which refuse may be charged into said hopper, comprising a pair of arm assemblies mounted on rear ends of said hopper side walls, each of said arm assemblies including a hinge pin mounted on the rear end of one of said hopper side walls and being disposed in axial alignment with the hinge pin of the other of said arm assemblies, an outer arm member rigidly connected on an outer end of said hinge pin and projecting substantially radially relative to the axis thereof, and an inner arm member rigidly connected to an inner end of said hinge pin and projecting substantially radially therefrom, at least one spring connected at one end thereof to an outer side of one of said hopper side walls and connected at the opposite end thereof to the outer arm member of one of said arm assemblies, a door panel rigidly interconnecting the inner arm members of said arm assemblies and means mounted on said hopper engageable by said arm assemblies for restricting the pivotal movement of said inner arm members within an arc intersected by a line passing through the connection of said spring member with said hopper side wall and the axis of the hinge pin of the arm assembly to which the opposite end of said spring member is attached whereby upon manipulating said door panel in moving the outer arm members of said arm assemblies above and below said intersecting line, said spring will operate to bias said door panel in an open position disposed above said hopper opening and to a closed position disposed across said hopper opening, respectively.
 2. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein said door panel is provided with a handle for manipulating said door panel between open and closed positions.
 3. A door assembly according to claim 1 including a second door panel hingedly connected along a transverse edge of said first mentioned door panel whereby when said first mentioned door panel is in its upper open position said second door panel will be disposed in a substantially folded relation with said first mentioned door panel and when said first mentioned door panel is in its lower closed position, said second door panel will be disposed in substantial alignment with said first mentioned door panel, disposed across said hopper opening.
 4. A door assembly according to claim 3 wherein said second door panel is provided with a handle for manipulating said door panels between said open and closed positions.
 5. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner arm members of said arm assemblies are pivotable in planes disposed substantially parallel to and inwardly of said hopper side walls.
 6. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the outer arm members of said arm assemblies are pivotable in planes disposed substantially parallel and outwardly relative to said hopper side walls.
 7. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the inner member of each of said arm assemblies includes at least a base portion thereof displaced angularly relative to the outer arm member of said arm assembly.
 8. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein the outer arm member of each of said arm assemblies includes a base arm portion displaced angularly relative to the outer arm member of said arm assembly and an elongated extension arm portion to which said door panel is secured.
 9. A door assembly according to claim 8 wherein said elongated, extension arm portion is disposed substantially parallel to the outer arm member of said arm assembly.
 10. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for restricting the pivotal movement of said arm assemblies comprise stop members engageable by portions of said arm assemblies.
 11. A door assembly according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said arm assemblies includes means for actuating a sensing means when said door panel is in the lower closed position.
 12. A door assembly according to claim 1 whErein the inner arm members of said arm assemblies are pivotable in planes disposed substantially parallel and inwardly relative to said hopper side walls, the outer arm members of said arm assemblies are pivotable in planes disposed substantialy parallel and outwardly relative to said hopper side walls, the inner arm member of each of said arm assemblies includes a base arm portion displaced angularly relative to the outer arm member thereof and an elongated extension arm member thereof to which said door panel is secured and said means for restricting the pivotal movement of said arm assemblies comprise stop members engageable by portions of said arm assemblies, and including a second door panel provided with a handle, hingedly connected along a transverse edge of said first mentioned door panel whereby when said first mentioned door panel is in its upper open position, said second door panel will be disposed in substantially folded relation with said first mentioned door panel and when said first mentioned door panel is in its lower closed position, said second door panel will be disposed in substantial alignment with said first mentioned door panel, disposed across said hopper opening. 